The focus of this course is the application of corporate finance theory to real-life corporations. This will be accomplished through discussions of the theoretical and empirical work as well as hands-on analysis of real-life cases regarding corporate finance issues that face managers. The primary topics covered are: payout policy, capital structure and related financing choices, the role of venture capital financing, the decision to go-public, the impact of agency problems between firm management and security holders and between different classes of security holders on corporate governance and different ways of solving such agency problems, as well as mergers/takeovers and other restructuring decisions. One of the aims of the course is to develop students' ability to make judgments in a realistic setting. In addition, students are expected to develop their capacity to articulate judgments both orally and in writing.